So, the Book of Mormon's "primary purpose" is more spiritual than historical? Really now? Let's see...in my entire lifetime and blasted to me on my mission by Joseph F. McConkie, the Book of Mormon is absolute...historical...and the KEYSTONE of our religion

"I think in the past there was a tendency [by the Mormon Church] to keep a lot of the records closed or at least not give access to information. But the world has changed in the last generation--with the access to information on the Internet, we can’t continue that pattern; I think we need to continue to be more open.”

I've been following this site for the last few days and I've enjoyed hearing your stories and decided that I would like to participate. I'm a 29 year-old, multi-generational, BIC, pioneer-stock ex-mo. Like Nephi of old I was born to goodly parents and instructed in the ways of righteousness. The whole time I was growing up I never really questioned the church or its teachings.

The Doctrine and Covenants, section 9, advises members about how to resolve questions:

"8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your bmind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right."

My 60 year old TBM [true believing Mormon] in laws are starting to freak out because they should be retiring but didn't plan for it, and I'm certain it's because they thought they would be sitting in the Celestial Kingdom surrounded by their six kids (that they couldn't afford) by now.

Hello again. Recently I've made the decision to not go on my mission, which I'm due for in a week or so. I'm patching up some things in my aftermath plans, so I haven't told my parents yet. I do intend on telling them tonight, however.

I'm a senior in high school and I'm 18 years old and lately people have been asking me am I going on my mission after high school. They keep saying "It may be an option not to go, but you must go because it's a commandment from god" WTF? When they ask If i'm going to go on my mission my first response is:

I was born into the church but never very active. I remember the times we went as a kid how boring it was and how we kids hated going. I've gone to the YSA ward a few times and can see how it can be fun at times, but it's still rather boring. The last time I went to a family ward it was excruciatingly boring, and a good amount of the people just didn't look like they wanted to be there.

I know from reading this board for the past two years that many of you have already dealt with the fall-out with family and friends after leaving TSCC [this so called church]. We our currently in the middle of it and completely confused as to how to respond to the shunning and bad behavior of our family. Were not sure if we should just ignore it, distance ourselves, still send gifts or skip it, invite them to our events or not; the list just goes on and on.

I have had a recent, long, direct and informative discussion with a well-placed and highly-credible Mormon Church source, which focused on the question of who, specifically, authored the historically-revisionistic essays that the Mormon Church has now placed on its official website. Just let me say that these essays were not written by members of the Quorum of the Twelve or the First Presidency.

"The policy banning people of African ancestry from the Mormon priesthood until 1978 was a mistake. The LDS Church made the admission last week and placed the blame at the feet of Brigham Young for being a man of his times. Theories of black inferiority were almost universally held by white America in 1852, when Young formalized the policy."

"The ban ended in 1978, but in the 35 years since then, the church had never given an official explanation for the reasons behind the ban or addressed the once widely held notion that blacks were spiritually inferior